Lot's of smoke around this fire.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl/nhl-...er-reports

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3991...t-nhl-plan

(04-10-2024 07:01 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  Lot's of smoke around this fire.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl/nhl-...er-reports

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3991...t-nhl-plan

They got an awful lot of hockey in Arizona, believe it or not...it's a very popular sport down there. Auston Matthews (who is just a few short of scroing 70 goals this season) is basically from there (born in CA, but he moved and lived in AZ after he was two months old)...Also Biznasty....

There's a lot of hockey in Arizona:


Coyotes Open Fifth DEK Hockey Rink On GCU Campus



A deeper look inside Arizona State's new hockey arena and multi-purpose facility


A diagram of Arizona State’s new hockey arena and community ice sheet

Fascinating local podcast video interview with the reporter...

This stuff sounds crazy but I think the NHL is tired of d*n around with their current owner and is setting up the "see ya" sale.

I don't recall what the ownership situation was when they moved from Winnipeg, but their tenure in Arizona has been nothing but trouble on the arena and ownership front.

(04-11-2024 08:05 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  



Fascinating local podcast video interview with the reporter...

This stuff sounds crazy but I think the NHL is tired of d*n around with their current owner and is setting up the "see ya" sale.

I don't recall what the ownership situation was when they moved from Winnipeg, but their tenure in Arizona has been nothing but trouble on the arena and ownership front.

I feel so bad for Coyotes fans. The NHL tried as hard as they could to keep them there, but ownership is doing everything they can to run the team out of town. NHL really should put this saga to bed and find a market that will fight to make them better. Sucks because that short spurt where they made the playoffs and at least had a shot, those games were so electric.

This is an interesting interview with an agent. I found some of the details eye opening.

It's starting to look more official.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50979483/nhl...-happening

(04-12-2024 07:23 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  This is an interesting interview with an agent. I found some of the details eye opening.

Quite interesting.

I knew Toronto had some kind of hold on that area...

I've heard the weakness of Canadian currency is also preventing Canada from getting a team.

Also, the NHL needs new markets for media deals...

(04-12-2024 09:12 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  It's starting to look more official.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50979483/nhl...-happening

Sources: Coyotes players told team is relocating to Utah

Yeahp. Seeing more reports the team was told before their game tonight with Edmonton. Shame. But at least they have some certainty and an owner (Smtih of the Utah Jazz--themselves relocated from New Orleans many decades ago) with deeper pockets (and a better place to play, although Mullet is pretty good for a college team not located in the Northeast).

Perhaps the NHL will see if Alex Meruelo can win the land auction in late June and if he can bget his privately fianaced arena complex built, they may be in line for an expansion team along with Atlanta.

Another box checked on the move.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl-in-s...eport-says

(04-12-2024 09:13 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  Also, the NHL needs new markets for media deals...

Losing Phoenix is a huge blow in that it is a top 15 TV market, and one of the 10 largest metro areas in the US. Atlanta and Houston are the only two other top 15 TV markets not currently in the NHL.

I think by 2027, or the latest 2028, this will be the NHL:

Western Conference
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles
Mountain - Las Vegas, Phoenix, Utah, Colorado, Calgary, Edmonton
Central - Dallas, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Saint Louis, Chicago, Nashville

Eastern Conference
Southeast - Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida
Metropolitan - New Jersey, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus
Atlantic - Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston

Adding Houston bumps Nashville to the Eastern Conference. I think the NHL tries to get into San Diego for team #36.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see the NHL add something along the lines of the NBA's Play-In Tournament.

Sorry to see. Most people have been cheering for their move for decades, but I have a soft-spot for underdogs & small market teams. Maybe they’ll try again someday when there's nostalgia for them, hockey's more established in the southwest, & they'll give them the hype they gave Vegas & Seattle.

(04-15-2024 10:10 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(04-12-2024 09:13 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  Also, the NHL needs new markets for media deals...

Losing Phoenix is a huge blow in that it is a top 15 TV market, and one of the 10 largest metro areas in the US. Atlanta and Houston are the only two other top 15 TV markets not currently in the NHL.

I think by 2027, or the latest 2028, this will be the NHL:

Western Conference
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles
Mountain - Las Vegas, Phoenix, Utah, Colorado, Calgary, Edmonton
Central - Dallas, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Saint Louis, Chicago, Nashville

Eastern Conference
Southeast - Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida
Metropolitan - New Jersey, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus
Atlantic - Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston

Adding Houston bumps Nashville to the Eastern Conference. I think the NHL tries to get into San Diego for team #36.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see the NHL add something along the lines of the NBA's Play-In Tournament.

So, something like this?

National Hockey League

West:
Pacific-
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Diego *
San Jose
Seattle
Vancover

Mountain-
Arizona *
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Las Vegas
Utah

Central-
Chicago
Dallas
Houston *
Minnesota
St Louis
Winnipeg

East:
Southeast-
Atlanta *
Carolina
Florida
Nashville
Tampa Bay
Washington

Metro-
Columbus
New Jersey
New York I
New York R
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

Atlantic-
Boston
Buffalo
Detroit
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto

And it's official. Welcome Utah to the NHL.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl-in-s...-lake-city

Possible team names for the new franchise.

Utah Venom
Utah Fury
Utah Blizzard

https://kslsports.com/515413/utah-nhl-te...rademarks/

Yuck to all those Utah names.

If we want 36: I can't see San Diego ever getting a team. I'd like to see Phoenix come back 33. Houston's usually considered a lock 34. Then Quebec is 35 - Canadians want it badly. As a Midwesterner I had always thought Milwaukee deserved a team if they don't want to give Atlanta a 3rd shot, one of them is 36.

But I like how you guys have a Southeast division. They need to bring that back & not have the East be so geographically random like it is now.

(04-16-2024 10:47 AM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Sorry to see. Most people have been cheering for their move for decades, but I have a soft-spot for underdogs & small market teams. Maybe they’ll try again someday when there's nostalgia for them, hockey's more established in the southwest, & they'll give them the hype they gave Vegas & Seattle.

Watched their final game, pre-game & post-game. Sad to see. You feel terrible for their fans. Many were diehards.

1942 - 6
> US/CAN Pop: 134.9M + 11.7M = 146.6M
> Pop Per Team: 24.4M / team

1966 - 6
> US/CAN Pop: 190.2M + 20.2M = 210.4M
> Pop Per Team: 35.1M / team

1967 - 12
> US/CAN Pop: 197.3M + 20.3M = 217.6M
> Pop Per Team: 18.1M / team

1970 - 14
> US/CAN Pop: 203.4M + 21.4M = 224.8M
> Pop Per Team: 16.1M / team

1980 - 21
> US/CAN Pop: 226.5M + 24.5M = 251M
> Pop Per Team: 12M / team

1990 - 21
> US/CAN Pop: 250.1M + 27.7M = 277.8M
> Pop Per Team: 13.2M / team

2000 - 30
> US/CAN Pop: 282.2M + 30.7M = 312.9M
> Pop Per Team: 10.4M / team

2010 - 30
> US/CAN Pop: 309.3M + 34 M = 343.3M
> Pop Per Team: 11.4M / team

2021 - 32
> US/CAN Pop: 332M + 38.2M = 370.2M
> Pop Per Team: 11.6M / team

2024 - 32
> US/CAN Pop: 336M + 39M = 375M
> Pop Per Team: 11.7M / team

At 375M, if we went to:
34 teams: 11M / team - about to equal to 2005 per capita
36 teams: 10.4M / team - equal to Year 2000 per capita

Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?